Recommendations prior to performing imaging studies requiring iodinated contrast
material administration
We recommend that all imaging facilities should have policies and procedures in place to identify
pregnant patients prior to the performance of any examination involving administration of iodinated contrast
media. If a patient is known to be pregnant, the potential added risks of contrast media should be considered
before proceeding with the study [10].
There is insufficient evidence to conclude that LOCM are without any risk with respect to the fetus.
Consequently, the Committee on Drugs and Contrast Media recommends the following in patients in whom
imaging studies are requested that may require the use of iodinated contrast material:
A. The radiologist should confer with the referring physician and document in the radiology report or the
patient’s medical record the following:
1. That the information requested cannot be acquired without contrast administration.
2. That the information needed affects the care of the patient and fetus during the pregnancy.
3. That the referring physician is of the opinion that it is not prudent to wait to obtain this information
until after the patient is no longer pregnant.
B. It is recommended that pregnant patients undergoing a diagnostic imaging examination with iodinated
contrast media and their referring physicians should indicate that they understand the potential risks and
benefits of the procedure to be performed, the potential for risk to the fetus, and the alternative diagnostic
options available to them (if any), and that they indicate the desire to proceed.
Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents (GBCAs)
Mutagenic effect of GBCAs
To date, there have been no known adverse effects to human fetuses reported when clinically
recommended dosages of GBCAs have been given to pregnant women. A single cohort study of 26 women
exposed to gadolinium chelates during the first trimester of pregnancy showed no evidence of teratogenesis
or mutagenesis in their progeny [11]. However, no adequate and well-controlled teratogenic studies of the
effects of these media in pregnant women have been performed.
Risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis
There are no known cases of NSF linked to the use of GBCAs in pregnant patients to date. However,
gadolinium chelates may accumulate in the amniotic fluid. Therefore, there is the potential for dissociation
of the toxic free gadolinium ion, conferring a potential risk for the development of nephrogenic systemic
fibrosis (NSF) in the child or mother. Because the risk is unknown, it is generally recommended that
gadolinium chelates not be used routinely in pregnant patients.
Recommendations for the use of GBCA-enhanced MRI examinations in pregnant patients
Because it is unclear how GBCAs will affect the fetus, these agents should be administered only with
caution. They should only be used if their usage is considered critical and the potential benefits justify the
potential risk to the unborn fetus. If a GBCA is to be used in a pregnant patient, one of the agents believed
to be at low risk for the development of NSF [12] should be used at the lowest possible dose to achieve
diagnostic results. In pregnant patients with severely impaired renal function, the same precautions should
be observed as in non-pregnant patients.